While government is still contemplating the future of the Amaila Fall Hydro-power Project (AFHP), should no plans be made to move forward with it, proposals for cost recovery from the US$42M Amaila Falls Access Road will be need to be gauged.
Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson told Stabroek News that “what we are looking at is seeing some sort of cost recovery on the road. So right now we are doing assessments, who will benefit from the road and so on.”
He revealed that under the existing contracts there is still 18 km left of roadway to be completed as well as remedial work. The minister gave no indication that the government was looking to cease these operations in fact stating that since the contract had already been paid for the work needed to be done.
“What is in the contract contractors will have to finish…we want them to finish because most of the money has been expended. We may as well get the road complete,” he stated.
He said that logging and mining in the areas along the road are both very lucrative stating that a toll could be set up for use of the roadway.
Patterson also noted that the various communities that would benefit from the road will also be assessed if or when a toll is established.
“…Use the monies recouped from that to maintain the road,” Patterson stated, noting that the government was not looking to spend millions in upkeep of a road that has no direct benefit should the
